Big 12 expects Missouri to stay despite SEC overtures

Thursday

A hopeful Big 12 Conference is moving forward as if Missouri will remain in the league, and has recharged its expansion committee with exploring possibly adding one to three new schools.

Still, insiders insist the conference doesn't have any strong reassurances that the Tigers will not follow Texas A&M's lead and jump to the Southeastern Conference.

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, the chairman of the Big 12 athletic directors, who met in Dallas on Tuesday, said the conference is hopeful that Missouri stays and hasn't been told differently.

"You have to talk to Missouri on that," Pollard told the American-Statesman on Wednesday, when asked about the Tigers' intentions. "They were active participants in the meeting, and I feel strongly they will stay in the league.

"We would love to have Missouri moving forward. I wouldn't say they are holding up (future plans), but they haven't indicated they are not going to be part of the Big 12."

Sources close to the realignment situation say Missouri has received neither an offer nor assurances from the SEC .

Pollard said the Big 12 expansion committee, which includes athletic directors DeLoss Dodds of Texas and Joe Castiglione of Oklahoma, has been recharged, but he doesn't know when it will convene again.

Interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas met with each of the conference's nine remaining athletic directors for about half an hour to become acquainted with them and seek their input.

"I feel very comfortable in the process to stabilize the conference," Pollard said. "But I'm not going to comment on what we were talking about."